Among those phrases meant to inspire confidence and spark optimism when misfortune strikes is this:

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.

That’s fine. But it’s hard to see how setting up a couple of lemonade stands at Valley Ranch will make the Dallas Cowboys feel better about their needs in the front seven.

DeMarcus Ware and Jason Hatcher are gone. Last week’s injury to linebacker Sean Lee strips an already suspect defense of its top playmaker.

As the Cowboys begin their second week of organized team activities, it can be argued that defensive tackle Henry Melton is the only player in the front seven who has enjoyed sustained success in the NFL at an impact level.

Yes, the same Henry Melton who missed all but three games last season with a torn ACL and won’t be cleared to practice until training camp.

“There aren’t a lot of big names on it, but it’s like I told them before, it’s about making a name for yourself,’’ Melton said of the Cowboys defensive line. “No one knew who I was when I first started.

“I think we’ve got a lot of key components to really get it done.’’

These next two weeks of OTAs and the mini-camp to follow will help give the coaching staff a better idea of what it has in place. Melton is the closest thing to a lock to start on the defensive line. All three starting linebacker jobs are up for grabs with Lee out of the equation.

Executive vice president Stephen Jones insists the Cowboys defense will be better than it was last season, a statement not as absurd as it sounds when you consider how low the bar was set. It’s also a nod to quantity over proven quality and the assumption of improved health.

Tyrone Crawford is Example A. He’s back in the mix after a torn Achilles robbed him of his second season. Hatcher called Crawford a perennial All-Pro on his way out the door, and quarterback Tony Romo has targeted him as a breakout player.

Those are high expectations for a player looking for his first NFL sack. Second-round pick DeMarcus Lawrence finds himself saddled with similar expectations.

Optimism going forward is based on their potential along with the contributions of journeymen George Selvie, Jeremy Mincey and others.

“Mincey has had a couple of real good years under his belt,’’ defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli pointed out. “George had a good year. Henry has done it.

“Now, we’ve just got to get guys to have career years right now.”

Oh, that’s all.

“I think you set standards for men,’’ Marinelli said. “If you don’t set standards, you certainly won’t reach them. If I put a ceiling on them and say, ‘This is all I expect of you,’ that’s all you’ll get.

“I take the ceiling off. I want every guy to have a career year. That’s how I do it.”

Ware recorded double-digit sacks in seven consecutive seasons for the Cowboys. Anthony Spencer is the only player on the roster who has ever had more than eight sacks in a season.

He did it once. Spencer had 11 sacks in 2012 before his future was clouded by a knee injury that required microfracture surgery.

“Right now, hopefully the strength is the unit,’’ Marinelli said. “A bunch of guys. Hopefully, we have eight guys that we feel good about and each guy, nobody’s selfish, and you play the game as hard as you can play it and play it as well as you can play it

“Every guy, I’m going to coach as hard as I can to be the best pass rusher he can be, and if you do that, the numbers will start falling for you.”

The linebackers behind that group don’t have a lot of skins on the wall, either. DeVonte Holloman got two sacks in the season finale last season when he was pressed into emergency duty.

Justin Durant is the only linebacker on the roster with more in his career. He’s had 3.5 sacks in his seven seasons.

Sacks are just one measure of effectiveness. Lee had 11 interceptions in his first four seasons with the Cowboys.

Durant has two in his career and none in the last four seasons. No other linebacker on the roster has an NFL interception.

Bruce Carter has started 24 games over the past two seasons. He has no interceptions and has not forced or recovered a fumble in his Cowboys career. He had no sacks in the final 14 games last season.

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